TSPN Call to Action TENNESSEE LIVES COUNT PROJECT WELCOMES NEW PROJECT TRAINERS. The Last Day of My Life. The Terry Wise Story 3 To Save a Life 4

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1 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2010 TSPN Call to Action T E N N E S S E E S U I C I D E P R E V E N T I O N N E T W O R K INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Rise in Rates among Younger Veterans 2 Detergent Suicides 2 The Last Day of My Life 3 The Terry Wise Story 3 To Save a Life 4 Teen Depression Bedtime Study TSPN Regional Calendar Advisory Council Contact Information PO BOX NASHVILLE, TN PHONE: (615) FAX: (615) TSPN@TSPN.ORG TENNESSEE LIVES COUNT PROJECT WELCOMES NEW PROJECT TRAINERS The Tennessee Lives Count (TLC) Project proudly announces its newest project trainers, who will assist TLC with its ongoing juvenile justice outreach project. Michelle Nevels, MA, has an extensive history of serving in various social services and educational programs. She has had the opportunity to be a part of such organizations including Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Child Advocacy Centers, the Davidson County District Attorney s Office, Metro Action Commission and Child Care Resource and Referral. A Nashville native, Michelle graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2003 with a Bachelor s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Child Development and Family Studies with a minor in Education. She recently completed her Master s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University. Michelle has always had a specific interest in working with at-risk children and advocating for abused children, domestic violence victims and victims of crime/trauma. Michelle has a specific interest in suicide prevention because of the loss of her father, 23 years ago, by suicide. Daryl R. Pike, BGS, has worked for several non-profit organizations in Nashville, including: the Domestic Violence Intervention Center (DVIC), the YWCA, and Centerstone (Dede Wallace Center). In the 18 years that Daryl has worked in the social work field he has served as a case manager, a program coordinator, and the coordinator of training. Although he enjoys working with people of all ages, Daryl s passion is working with troubled teens. He is glad to be back training people who work with teens in custody. Daryl holds a Bachelor s degree in General Studies from Western Kentucky University, with an emphasis in Humanities. He is active in Nashville s non-professional theater community, directing and stage managing productions for various community theater companies, including ACT 1. He was recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, but is now in remission, and is proud to be participating in the Music City Marathon on April 24, where he is training with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society s Team in Training. Michelle and Daryl will join TLC Project coordinator Jason H. Padgett in conducting suicide prevention and crisis intervention training for adults who work with youth in the juvenile justice system, a group considered to be at severe risk of suicide. The TLC Project is funded by a State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration via the TN Department for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. During the life of the TLC/JJ project, staff aim to train at least 650 juvenile justice staff in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). At least 4,100 community contacts, such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters volunteers, faith-based program staff, and university faculty, will receive QPR gatekeeper training. Also, 500 youth in community juvenile justice placement or in danger of being remanded to detention will receive peer suicide awareness and prevention training using the Jason Foundation s Promise for Tomorrow curriculum. For more information about the TLC Project, contact Jason at (615) or jpadgett@tspn.org.

2 TSPN CALL TO ACTION SUICIDE RATES AMONG YOUNGER VETERANS UP 26 PERCENT Why do we know so much about suicides but still no so little about how to prevent them? Simple question, but we continue to be challenged. The suicide rate among younger veterans increased by 26 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to data published by the Veterans Affairs Department. Using figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 16 states, the VA estimates that the suicide rate for veterans aged in 2007 was per 100,000, up from in (Data on older groups of veterans has not yet been released.) Information on suicides among veterans no longer on active duty has traditionally been difficult to obtain and interpret, although it is known that veterans typically account for 20 percent of the approximately 30,000 suicides reported in the United States each year a figure cited by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki during a suicide prevention conference held January 11 in Washington. One positive note emerged from the data: fewer younger veterans using VA health care and resources are dying by suicide. A 2005 report on this subgroup suggested no difference in the suicide rates between soldiers using VA resources and those who were not. The VA has worked strenuously to address the military suicide problem, appointing Suicide Prevention Coordinators at all its centers across the country and developing a hotline especially for veterans in partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ( TALK). But the problem is far from solved: in 2009 U.S. Army suicides peaked for the fifth straight year. A January 11 MSNBC article referencing the Washington conference notes Shinseki s interest in analyzing each individual suicide death and its contributing factors as part of a larger suicide prevention effort. "Why do we know so much about suicides but still know so little about how to prevent them? Simple question, but we continue to be challenged." DETERGENT SUICIDES POSE RISK TO OTHERS BESIDES VICTIM An announcement from the Center for School Preparedness within the U.S. Department of Education s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools details an increasingly common form of suicide which poses a threat to first responders and other people besides the attempt victim. So-called detergent suicide involves creating hydrogen sulfide gas and using it as a means of suffocation. The formula, several variations of which have been spotted on the Internet, involves mixing muriatic or sulfuric acid with an organic phosphate such as toilet bowl cleaner or insecticide. The fumes are toxic if concentrated in a small area. This mode of suicide poses a risk to first responders and people in the general vicinity of the attempt, such as other people in the residence where the attempt takes place and people discovering the victim. This form of suicide originated in Japan, with several of these incidents sickening first responders and people in the area, and even forcing the evacuation of entire apartment complexes. As of this writing, four confirmed or suspected cases have been identified in the United States and Canada, including one in January in New Jersey. The sidebar for this article details warning signs and procedures for this type of suicide attempt, courtesy of Brian M. Carney, EMT-P, of the EMS/Emergency Management Education and Planning department of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey and included with the DOE s January 11 press release. PAGE 2 Warning Signs: Subject appears unconscious or asleep in a contained area, such as a vehicle, bathroom, or storage area. Subject wearing safety glasses and medical gloves these are needed to handle chemicals involved. Windows are taped to prevent gas from escaping. There may be a note to warn of the dangers present. Recommended Protocol First responders and people discovering the victim could be compromised if the gases are released without the proper safeguards in place namely evacuation of the area and release supervised by properly equipped hazmat personnel. If you enter an area and it has a chemical odor, take this as a clue to exit the area and call 911. Hydrogen sulfide (identifiable by a rotten egg smell) and some other chemicals will diminish your sense of smell as you venture deeper into a contaminated area. Entering an atmosphere where the hazards are not known can be extremely dangerous. You should remove the victim(s) from the exposure only if you can do so without compromising your own safety. Remove any contaminated clothing from the victim and yourself at once.

3 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 JIM MORET ACKNOWLEDGES SUICIDAL THOUGHTS IN NEW MEMOIR Journalist Jim Moret s recently released autobiography details how he once considered suicide and uses the experience as a framing device for the book. In a January 5 CNN.com interview, Moret describes The Last Day of My Life as not only a memoir, but also an inspirational exploration of priorities, choices, and relationships: "In the 20 or so chapters, if you can find one or two (things)... that you can relate to, then I feel wonderful, because the idea is that you can see yourself through my story. I'm telling you what my choices were and what I choose to feel is important and then I ask you a question at the end of many chapters. Who would you apologize to if this were your last day? Who would you forgive? Those two things there are really powerful and heavy statements and questions and it's difficult to forgive somebody who's wronged you." Photo of Mr. Moret courtesy his Facebook page ( jim.moret). In the book, the former CNN anchor and current chief correspondent for Inside Edition recalls how anxiety over employment and debts almost led him to suicide. "So when I was driving down this hilly, windy road in Malibu, I really went to a dark place and thought, 'You know, I could turn right [over the side of the canyon] and no one would know. It would look like an accident' My wife would get $3 million of insurance. It would solve all of our problems. Of course the big problem wouldn't be solved because I would be dead." Moret quickly reconsidered, partly out of concern for his family but also after reconsidering his main concerns in life. "What if I had one day left, how would I view life? What's important? What would I value? How do I look at friendship and love and gratitude and laughter and music and forgiveness and adventure? And none of those things had anything to do with money. Money was the root of my desperation." Moret also conducts a searching inventory of his difficult relationship with his biological father, actor James Darren, who surrendered all parental rights to Moret after divorcing his mother. The Last Day of My Life, published by Phoenix Books, ranked within the top 100 best sellers on Amazon following its release. SAMHSA PSA AVAILABLE AT LIFELINE WEBSITE A suicide prevention PSA produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently won a Gold Award at the National Health Information Awards in the Patient Education category. The Terry Wise Story is available for viewing on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. Wise is the author of Waking Up: Climbing through the Darkness, which documents her recovery from her spouse s death from Lou Gehrig s disease and her subsequent suicide attempt. The book is required reading for psychology students at Columbia and Rutgers Universities and has been adopted for use as a training material for the Core Competency Curriculum developed by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). Wise currently serves as co-chair for the Lifeline Consumer and Survivor Subcommittee, and is a highly regarded speaker on suicide recovery. Photo of Ms. Wise courtesy her website ( In the video, Wise explains how years of depression and self-worth issues were brought to the crisis point by her husband s death. While in the hospital (Wise required a liver transplant as a result of her poisoning attempt), no one inquired about the circumstances that resulted in her injury or offered her any mental health counseling. Only after reaching out to psychologist Betty Glaser, who provides additional commentary, was Wise able to learn the coping skills that could help her survive and thrive. The Terry Wise Story was one of 1,000 entries considered by the National Health Information Awards, a project of the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for consumer health programs and materials. The awards recognize innovations in advertisements, publications, and public service announcements in the field of consumer health information. The video s receipt of the Gold Award marks it as one of the top five percent of submissions received this year. In addition to this honor, the inpatient unit at the Mayo Clinic has begun using The Terry Wise Story in its clinical work. The full video, along with an abbreviated trailer, are available for linking and embedding at the Lifeline s PSA archive ( Visitors have permission to save the video to DVD for presentations. We encourage you to spread the word about this important resource the video and Terry s experiences can be used to add a human element to your presentation and discussions with stakeholders, in training workshops with staff and gatekeepers, and/or in clinical and peer-to-peer settings, explains Dr. John Draper, the Lifeline s Project Director, in a January 5 press-release. PAGE 3

4 TSPN CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE A LIFE CONFRONTS ISSUE OF TEEN SUICIDE To Save a Life, a Christian-themed film detailing a young man s reaction to the suicide death of a childhood friend became the top-rated film on Fandango last month. To Save a Life began a limited run at theatres across the country (including several in Tennessee) on January 22. The movie is a joint venture by three Christian film companies: Samuel Goldwyn Films (maker of Amazing Grace and Fireproof ), Outreach Films, and New Song Pictures. The film centers on popular high school athlete Jake Taylor (Randy Wayne) who is shaken by the death of his former friend Roger (Robert Bailey, Jr.). Guilt over his past treatment of Roger and whether he could have prevented his death forces Jake to re-evaluate his priorities and ultimately reach out to other troubled young people, risking his own popularity in the process and his relationship with girlfriend Amy (Deja Kreutzberg). The film is a departure from other evangelical-based films aimed at youth in that it includes references to underage drinking, self-injury, and sex. "It's an honest depiction of what a whole lot of high school students are going through, and it doesn't try to sugarcoat or make that look too safe," explains director Brian Baugh in a January 16 Toledo Blade feature article. Outreach Films has launched a grass-roots marketing campaign promoting the film to church groups, with the result that To Save a Life is the top-rated film on Fandango.com as of press time. The film s promotional website ( features a page where teens can share their stories of depression and suicide attempts, as well as a resource page that links to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ( TALK), To Write Love on Her Arms, and other resources on suicide, depression, self-injury, and substance abuse. Promotional poster for To Save a Life courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes. LATE BEDTIMES AND LACK OF SLEEP TIED TO TEEN DEPRESSION Teenagers with earlier enforced bedtimes are less likely to suffer from depression and consequent suicidal thoughts, according to a study out of Columbia University Medical Center. The research team referred to a survey of 15,000 pre-teens and teenagers (seventh through twelfth grades) finalized in They uncovered a strong statistical relationship between bedtime and whether the respondents felt they were getting enough sleep. They also noticed that children with especially late bedtimes (midnight or later) were 24 percent more likely to be depressed than survey counterparts who went to bed at 10 PM or earlier. This group of teens was also 20 percent more likely to suffer suicidal thoughts. The amount of sleep also makes a difference. Survey participants who regularly got five hours of sleep or less were 71 percent more prone to depression and 48 percent more likely to be suicidal as compared to those who got eight hours of sleep or more each night. The researchers originally hypothesized a relationship between the amount of sleep the teenagers got and the level of care they received from their parents, but their findings did not bear this relationship out. Still, they adjusted for this factor when conducting their final analysis of the numbers. "It's kind of a common idea that older adolescents don't need as much sleep as younger adolescents, but that's really not true -they still need about 9 hours of sleep at night," explains Dr. James E. Gangwisch, lead author for this study, in a Reuters Health interview conducted January 4. "Getting adequate sleep is really important for our mental health as well as being able to focus and have the necessary energy and motivation to do the things we need to do during the day. For the record, the original survey found that 54 percent of parents of survey participants enforced a bedtime of 10 PM or earlier on school nights, 21 percent set a bedtime of 11 PM, and 25 percent let their children stay up until or past midnight. About two-thirds of the teens surveyed acknowledged they adhered to the bedtimes set by their parents. The citation for this study is as follows: Gangswich, J. E., et al (2010). Earlier parental set bedtimes as a protective factor against depression and suicidal ideation. SLEEP 33(1): PAGE 4

5 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 TSPN REGIONAL CALENDAR No December meetings are scheduled unless otherwise marked. Dates in Aquarius blue indicate alternate meeting dates intended to accommodate state holidays or other previously scheduled events. East Tennessee Region monthly, 3rd Thursday, 12 PM Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Inc., 9050 Executive Park Drive, Suite 104-A, Knoxville, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18 Memphis/Shelby County Region monthly, 3rd Tuesday, 11 AM The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, 1900 Union Avenue, Memphis, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20, August 17, September 21, October 19, November 16 Mid-Cumberland Region monthly, 2nd Thursday, 9:30 AM Tennessee Voices for Children, 701 Bradford Avenue, Nashville, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, and November 12 Northeast Region monthly, 4th Tuesday, 10:30 AM Boone s Creek Christian Church, 305 Boone s Creek Road, Gray, February 23, March 23, April 27, May 25, June 22, July 27, August 24, September 28, October 26, and November 23 Rural West monthly, 3rd Wednesday, 10:30 AM Behavioral Health Initiatives, 36C Sandstone Circle, Jackson, February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, and November 17 South Central monthly, 1st Tuesday, 11 AM Mental Health Cooperative, 100 Berrywood Drive, Columbia, February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, and November 2 Southeast Region monthly, 1st Thursday, 10 AM Downtown Chattanooga YMCA, 301 West Sixth Street, Chattanooga, February 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5, September 2, October 7, and November 4 Upper Cumberland Region monthly, 4th Thursday, 10:30 AM Volunteer Behavioral Health Care Systems, 1200 Willow Avenue, Cookeville, February 26, March 25, April 22, May 27, June 24, July 22, August 26, September 23, October 28, and November 18 Intra-State Department Meetings Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Third Floor Conference Room, Cordell Hull Building, 425 Fifth Avenue North, Nashville, (2:30 PM) April 28, July 28, October 27 Advisory Council February 24 (Community Room, Metro Nashville Police Department Hermitage Precinct, 3701 James Kay Lane, Hermitage) June 2-3 (tentatively scheduled for Montgomery Bell State Park, 1020 Jackson Hill Road, Burns) September 8 (Tennessee State Capitol) Blount County Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Alliance monthly, 1st Friday, 12 PM Blount County Health Department Conference Room, 302 McGhee Street, Maryville, TN February 5, March 5, April 9, May 7, June 4, July 2, August 6, September 3, October 1, and November 5 Giles County Suicide Prevention Task Force bi-monthly, 3rd Monday, 1:30 PM Giles County Career Center, 125 South Cedar Lane, Pulaski, March 15, May 17, July 19, September 20, and November 15 Hickman County Suicide Prevention Task Force monthly, 4th Friday, 1:30 PM Hickman Community Hospital, Senior Care Building, 135 East Swan Street, Centerville, February 26, March 26, April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, and November 19 PAGE 5

6 ADVISORY COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION If you are interested in getting involved with TSPN on a local level or have other questions, contact the chairperson of your region as indicated by the map provided below: East Tennessee region Anne Young, MS, CAS (865) sayoung3@comcast.net or anneyoung@cornerstoneofrecovery.com Memphis and Shelby County Madge Tullis (901) michaellabonte@crisis7.org Mid-Cumberland region Misty Yarbrough, BBA, BSW (615) myarbrough@mhc-tn.org Northeast region Harold Leonard, MA, LPC-MHSP (423) hleonard4113@charter.net Rural West region Anne Henning-Rowan, MS (731) annerowan@hughes.net South Central region Karyl Chastain Beal, M.Ed, CT (931) karylcb@bellsouth.net Southeast region Tim Tatum, MA (423) tim_tatum@chs.net Upper Cumberland region Jodi Bartlett, Ed. S, LPC-MHSP (931) or (931) , ext. 166 jbartlett@vbhcs.org Advisory Council Chair Harold Leonard, MA, LPC-MHSP (423) hleonard4113@charter.net Executive Director Scott Ridgway, MS (615) sridgway@tspn.org Lake Lauderdale Obion Henry Weakley Dyer Gibson Carroll Crockett Haywood Madison Tipton Chester Henderson Benton Decatur Stewart Houston Humphreys Perry Montgomery Dickson Hickman Lewis Cheatham Maury Robertson Davidson Williamson Marshall Macon Sumner Clay Pickett Scott Claiborne Hancock Campbell Fentress Hawkins Trousdale Jackson Overton Union Smith Wilson Rutherford Bedford Cannon Putnam Morgan De Kalb Cumberland White Roane Warren Van Buren Rhea Coffee Monroe Grundy McMinn Sequatchie Bledsoe Meigs Anderson Grainger Hamblen Jefferson Knox Cocke Sevier Loudon Blount Greene Washington Unicoi Sullivan Carter Johnson Shelby Fayette Hardeman McNairy Hardin Wayne Lawrence Giles Lincoln Moore Franklin Marion Hamilton Bradley Polk